1. Field of the Invention
The embodiments of the invention relate to the tracking of goods in a supply chain or transportation system. Specifically, the invention relates to the tracking of non-discrete goods using embedded sensors within a supply chain or transportation system.
2. Background
Supply chain management often utilizes tags and tracking devices to track the movement and location of discrete goods. Discrete goods are those goods that are packaged or have a form and size that allows for the placement of a tag or device on the good. For example, discrete goods include boxed items, such as toys, or loose items, such as a tire or clothing. A tag or device may be affixed to the box or loose item allowing the box or item to be tracked.
Tags and tracking devices include an identification number or alphanumeric sequence. A tag can have an identifier printed on it or encoded on it. For example, a bar code may be printed on the tag. A tracking device stores data such as identification information in a memory or the information is hardwired into the device. For example, a radio frequency identification (RFID) device includes an identification number. Some tags and tracking devices can also store additional information about the associated good including properties of the good, ownership, routing and location data. Alternatively, a database can store this information, which may be accessed by a lookup using the identifier from the tag or tracking device. This system can only be used for discrete goods because the tags and tracking devices must be printed on or affixed to a surface of a good. Non-discrete goods such as unpackaged grains, gases, liquids and similar substances do not have a surface of sufficient size to have a tag or tracking device printed on or affixed to them.